Oneshot. Merle is tired of his brother and Carol acting like a couple of kids that can't admit their "feelings", so he decides to do his little brother a favor and intervene. By making Daryl think that he's getting the goods himself. Caryl, of course. (Just a little something I did for fun.)

WARNING: Quite a few of my friends on here have been hit with trolls and... assholes. Sorry. I'm not going to use pretty words for these people. So, for starters, this is a Caryl fic, hence the summary. If you don't like the ship then go read something else. Like, maybe one of your own stories where you write yourself in as a character so you can have make believe sex with a made up character played by an actor that would probably think you were as lame and shallow as I do. Ha! I'm only saying this to those of you who hate the ship, read the stories, and then proceed to talk shit and be hurtful for no reason. I don't have a problem with people who hate the ship and leave people alone. I'm not trying to insult anyone other than the people who would insult me. So, if you didn't head my warning, please sign in before you leave your brain vomit in my review box. I like to actually know who I'm about to make look stupid. THANK YOU! You poor bored souls.

Most Caryl shippers are mature women who are sensitive gentle souls that keep pretty quiet. I love them. But I'm not one of them. I have anger issues. Not that that is obvious or anything ;)

So, insomnia struck with a vengeance and I was able to get this out in one setting. I've been a little overwhelmed with Dust to Dust and other projects and the lovely Axelrocks told me about this idea and so I begged her to let me have it and she said yes because she loves me. So if you like this, it's her idea. I just delivered it. I just wrote it for fun and to take my mind of more pressing matters. I didn't mean for there to be smut. I guess I'm just... well, I like it I suppose. It isn't too over the top. Enjoy! Thank you for reading!

I own nothing.

Merle watched the woman as she used the whetstone to sharpen her knife. The knife that had once belonged to his brother. If someone had told him way back at the quarry if that quiet little thing would ever be a match for any Dixon he'd have laughed in their face. To Merle the woman had been nothing but a willing punching bag. She had let herself be treated like a piece of trash and in his mind, that's what it made her. She was too weak, too meek, and too quiet. She blended into her surroundings and made herself as scarce as she could. Definitely no match for any Dixon. Not even for his brother.

But that was then. Now this little lady had presence. She was the lone survivor of all the women from the beginning and it showed. She was still on the quiet side but she didn't take any shit. Not even from him and back then she had been terrified of him. All he would have to do was look at her and she would scurry off like a baby squirrel. Now she stood taller. She smiled often. She spoke her mind when she saw fit. She met his eyes any time he addressed her. There were times he would make up excuses to talk to her just because he still couldn't believe the changes he saw in her.

He was about to go talk to her again when he felt someones eyes on him. He looked towards the doorway and there stood Daryl, glaring at him like he wanted to put a bolt in his ass... again. He looked away and stormed out of the room before Merle could even say anything to him. Now it was just Merle and Carol and he had plans. He was tired of this bullshit run around that was going on between these two. He was going to fix it. In the months since the Governors attack all he had seen them do was dance around each other. They were like a couple of fucking middle school kids that didn't know what the hell they were doing.

He pushed himself up off the step and sauntered towards her with a grin in place. Those wide blue eyes shot up and met his for just a second before looking back down at her work, a soft smile threatening at the corners of her mouth. "What are you up to, Merle?" She asked in a suspicious voice.

"I think my brother wants to get into your pants." He said bluntly.

"Ouch! Damn it, Merle." She glared down at the slice in her finger.

He must have surprised her but he hadn't been able to think of any other way to word it. He knew that that wasn't all it was. He was pretty certain that his brother loved the woman but he wasn't about to start popping off about all that mushy shit. When it came right down to it, Merle knew a lot more about fucking than he did about loving. So he opened it up with the getting in her pants part. Maybe that was a bad idea.

The cut was kind of bad and he found himself on his knees on the floor in front of her, pulling her hand towards him as she sat in the chair and watched him with an annoyed expression. He ignored the look and reached into his pocket for the rag he kept there for occasions just like this one. He wrapped her finger gently and then met her steady gaze once more. He was surprised when her eyes darted away quickly.

"Didn't know you was gonna slip and almost chop your damn finger off, woman." He chuckled. "Is it that surprisin' to hear? I know you ain't stupid. Or blind."

She huffed. "Are you bored, Merle?" She asked as she arched an eyebrow at him.

"Huh?" He moved the rag and examined the cut. It wasn't as bad as he'd thought.

"You're trying to create some sort of drama. I figure that you must be bored." She said dryly.

He should have known that she would have this reaction. He was sick of all of this though. If he knew anything at all he knew that tomorrow was a very far away thing that wasn't ever promised. More now than ever before. If you wanted something then you just had to reach out and take it. Why the hell didn't these two understand that?

Well he was tired of their shit and he was going to give to her straight. Right fucking now.

~H~

Daryl was about tired of Merle's shit. He stomped around the cell block, looking for something to do that would take his mind off of the fact that he knew, knew deep in his gut, that Merle was after Carol. The asshole was constantly watching her like she was some doe he was stalking, just waiting to pounce.

It wasn't just Merle either. It was quite a few of the men from Woodbury too. Not that she paid any damn attention to anything. But he did. And it wasn't because he was jealous either because he wasn't. She wasn't his woman. She wasn't his anything. Well, that wasn't exactly true either. She was his friend and he cared about her. That was why he kept an extra close eye on those Woodbury assholes and that was why he definitely wanted to keep his brother away from her. None of them were good enough. She'd been through enough and he'd be damned if he let one of them hurt her. Even Merle. Especially Merle.

Rick stopped his pacing with a hand on his shoulder. "You alright?" He asked, giving Daryl a worried look.

Daryl shrugged out from under his hand. "M'fine." He grumbled.

Rick nodded. "We're runnin' a little low on supplies. We don't need much, just some more milk for Judy and a few other essentials. Shouldn't take more than two people."

Daryl nodded. This was his out. He could tell Rick that he'd take Carol along. She didn't ever get out enough anyway. That way he wouldn't have to worry about Merle or any of the other men trying anything with her while he was gone.

"I'll grab Carol and be back by dark." He said but before he could take a few steps Rick's hand was on his shoulder once more. He turned around, and knew his annoyance was clear on his face.

"Actually, I was needing you to do something else." He said as he dropped his hand from Daryl's shoulder before he could slip out from under it again.

"You need me to go on a run or do ya need me to do somethin' else?" He asked, clearly annoyed and knowing he didn't want to hear the answer.

"I was gonna have Merle go on a run. I was wonderin' if you would mind goin' on a hunt. The meats getting' real low around here and you don't go out as much as you used too."

There was a knowing look in Rick's eyes that made Daryl frown. Of course he didn't go out as much as he used too... "I'll go tell Merle to go on a run then. You got anybody in mind to go with him?" All Daryl could do was hope that he did.

"Nah, just tell him to grab whoever he wants." Rick said absently as he turned around and walked away, leaving Daryl standing there in the middle of the cell block gripping the strap to his bow and scowling so hard his face hurt.

Son of a bitch." He grumbled as he took off back towards the common room where he had left Merle and Carol. Alone.

His approach was quiet. He was always quiet, even when he was pissed off. It was safer that way. He stopped outside of the room and listened when he heard his brothers steady drone.

"... you have to just take somethin' when ya want it, woman. And that's what this is and you know it. Me and you both know it. You could be dead tomorrow and then what? You'd be leavin' behind nothin' but what if's and regrets. We'll work somethin' out. All ya gotta do is tell me ya feel the same way and then we can work on this. Me and you. In the end we'll all get what we've been wantin'."

Daryl's grip on the crossbow strap became painful, the worn leather being the only thing that kept his nails from gashing his own palms open. He couldn't believe this was happening. He risked moving so he could see what was going on. Anger burned a hole in his gut when he saw them.

Merle was actually on his knees. On his fucking knees, on the floor, much closer than Daryl would have liked for him to have been, damn near crouching right between Carol's legs, clutching her hand and looking up into her face like a love sick piece of shit moron.

"Do ya feel the same way? It ain't like I'm gonna run and tell my brother. We'll think of somethin' else. Make it a little easier on the awkward little fucker, if ya know what I mean. How bout it. Are we gonna do this?" Merle grinned.

Daryl almost flinched when he saw her nod and then smile. Not just any smile either. That goddamn smile was his smile. He'd never seen her look at another man, another person, like that. Only him.

And it hit him then. Hit him with a force that damn near knocked him on his ass. He'd denied it for a long time. Always made up excuses for the reason's behind why he kept an extra close eye on her, made up excuses for the reasons he wanted to smash in the faces of every man that looked at her like they wanted her. Deep down he had always felt as though she were already his. Bonded deeper than others by a past that still marked them both, forever reminding them that no matter how strong they were now, they weren't strong enough then. Bonded deeper than others because of a stupid flower and a little dead girl he didn't find in time. Bonded because he found her when he thought she was gone. He loved her. That was why he watched her. That was why he made damn sure she had enough to eat. That was why he made sure she had enough blankets. That was why he wanted to storm across the room and bust Merle over the head with his crossbow.

He loved her. And she didn't love him back. Story of his goddamn life right there.

"Hey!" He yelled into the doorway before he stormed in. "Rick wants you to go on a run. He'll tell ya what he needs." He at least had the grim satisfaction of watching them jump apart like they had been caught making out. They were probably about to do just that. He shoved his hands into his pockets when he realized he was shaking.

Merle stood up and looked at him and Carol refused to meet his eyes at all. Did she know how he felt? Of course she did. That's why Merle said he wouldn't tell him about them. Mother fuck. He felt his face blazing with humiliation.

"You gonna come along?" Merle asked as he shoved something in his back pocket.

Daryl shook his head, nostrils flaring when he looked from Merle down to Carol. "Take her. You'll have a lot more fun that way." He said between clenched teeth. He saw Carol's head shoot up right before he stormed out of the room.

~H~

Merle saw it then. Daryl was about as jealous as he'd ever seen him. And he'd seen him jealous every damn day since that other group moved in. But this was different because he'd seen Merle knelt there between his own woman's legs and the boy had about lost his shit over it. Good. Maybe now he'd stop being a pussy.

"You wanna ride along?" He asked as he reached down and pulled Carol up from the chair.

"What was that all about?" She asked as she looked over towards the doorway that Daryl disappeared through.

Merle just shrugged. "He thinks I'm movin' in on his woman. Now do ya see what I see?" He eyed her expectantly but she was still just frowning at the doorway.

He shook his head and grabbed her by the hand. Lets go see what the fuck kinda shit officer friendly needs and get this over with. I have myself an idea."

Carol looked up at him as she hurried along to match his longer strides. "Merle, I think we should just let this go. I don't think you really know what your talking about." She said breathlessly.

Merle stopped in the middle of the corridor. He could hear Daryl making his way towards the door that would put him just about right in front of them. He was heading out, most likely. He'd want to hunt after getting that pissed off. Merle was about to piss him off some more.

Just before he knew Daryl would appear in front of them he turned abruptly and wrapped his good arm around her waist and pulled her until she was pressed right up against him. She was too stunned by his strange behavior to really fight him. That gave him enough time to catch sight of Daryl, who stopped in his tracks when he saw them. Merle dropped his hands and stepped away.

"Why don't you do the rest of us a favor and get a fuckin' room. Ain't nobody wantin' to see none of that shit." He growled and then made sure he slammed his shoulder into Merle's as he stormed past. He hadn't said a word to Carol. He wouldn't even look at her. This was fucking perfect. Merle was about to lead them out when Daryl suddenly stopped and stormed back towards them. Holy shit, was he going to make a move right there in front of him?

Daryl stopped right in front of her, face still blazing and eyes like angry fire. "Keep your ass alive, alright?" He growled.

All she did was smile nervously and nod. He shot Merle another death glare and then spun around and headed back.

"Merle, what the hell is wrong with you?" She hissed as they made their way to the vehicles.

"Just trust me, darlin'. This is gonna work. I know my brother."

"So do I and he hasn't had that look on his face since we were on the farm. You're making him hate me and it isn't because he wants to get in my pants. He probably just thinks I'm stupid for getting involved with you. Which I'm not getting involved with you but you seem to be hell bent on making him think so."

"You admitted that you wanted him. I'm just the bait. You'll see." Merle grinned and waved at a grim looking Carl as the boy opened the gate for them and then shut it quickly. "I like that kid." Merle mused. "Unlike his daddy he's got himself a huge pair on him."

Carol rolled her eyes but didn't say anything else to him for the rest of the trip. He tried to make conversation while they were killing walkers in the department store, that it took them two hours to get too, two boring silent hours since she wasn't speaking to him. But he didn't get a peep out of her. She just killed walkers and got all the crap on the list that she could. The ride back was just as miserable.

"Come on, woman. He's gonna be so pissed off that he waited too long to put the moves on you that this will crack him. Not that he has any moves to begin with. You gotta be patient with him, ya know. As far as I know the boy ain't never even been properly fucked."

"Jesus, Merle! Really?" She snapped. At least she was talking now.

"Yeah really. As far as I know. He's a picky little bastard."

"That isn't what I meant. I'm sure he's been properly... God, sometimes you are disgusting. Do you ever listen to yourself?"

Merle chuckled and drove on towards the prison.

~H~

He hadn't caught a damn thing. He knew he wouldn't but that didn't mean he hadn't been able to kill a lot. There were always walkers to take out his frustrations on. He'd killed a whole slew of them before he felt some of the anger leave him. It was dark by the time he made it back to the prison yard and of course it was time for him to relieve the last person on watch. It didn't matter though. He wouldn't have been able to get any sleep anyway. Just his luck as soon as he made it to the top of the tower he saw the familiar headlights of one of their trucks. Carl was down there manning the gate, preferring to keep away from all the people inside. He didn't blame the kid. He was feeling the same way at the moment.

He grabbed the railing in both hands and leaned out more so he could see them better but he couldn't make out much of anything in the dark. He still couldn't believe it. Merle? Out of all the men she could have had why in the hell did she have to choose his brother?

He went into the tower and looked out at the darkness through the glass. It was getting pretty cold and he figured it would probably snow soon. At least he didn't have to worry about her freezing. If he knew his brother at all he knew that Merle would keep her warm. He hoped she was smart enough to pick up some condoms on their little trip.

He thought about all the times he had pushed her away. All the times he'd be pissed off at someone else and take it all out on her. He'd dumped so much shit on that woman, throwing childish tantrums and being needlessly cruel. No wonder she had never even considered him before. He doubted she could look at someone like him and see a man. Not with the way he had treated her in the past. But he had thought they were past all of that. All of the bullshit that they had fought through together.

Guess not.

He heard footsteps on the stairs and knew they weren't hers. He recognized them instantly. And even if he hadn't recognized the footsteps he would have recognized the sound coming from the man. Merle was whistling. He must have been in a really good mood. The only thing that could make him that happy was...

"Hey there, little brother. Beautiful night, don'tcha think?" Merle grinned when he came through the door.

"It's cold and overcast you fuckin' idiot." Daryl growled as he crossed his arms and moved his eyes back towards the glass. Merle just laughed. That wasn't a good sign. Merle was never in this good of a mood. "Where's your woman at?" Daryl asked. He couldn't help himself.

Merle didn't deny it. He simply shrugged and followed Daryl's gaze. Daryl wanted to punch him in the face. "What's it to ya?" Merle asked.

Daryl ground his teeth together.

"You've had your eye on her a while ain'tcha, baby brother?" Merle chuckled once more.

He kept his eyes straight ahead. He wasn't going to do this. He wasn't going to let Merle goad him into a fight.

"And now you're pissed off at me cause I moved in on somethin' you were too scared to reach out and grab for yourself. Am I gittin' warm there, Darylena?"

"You don't give a shit about her." Daryl spat, moving so he was right in Merle's face. All Merle did was smile that infuriating fucking smile once more.

"And you do?" Merle asked.

"Fuck you, Merle." Daryl growled and then stepped away, still not falling into Merle's trap. "You could have any of them women from Woodbury. Why her? Why do you gotta fuck with her head?"

Daryl took another step back, his heart hammering in his chest. He didn't like the way Merle was watching him. He knew his brother and he knew that his brother could smell weakness from a mile away. As much as he hated to admit it, that's what she was. His one weakness.

Daryl took another step away from him and then turned around, looking out at the dark yard once more. Merle didn't say another word but he heard the door close and then Merle's footfalls fading down the steps.

He wanted to hit something. Or someone. It didn't matter anymore. He'd blown every fucking chance he had ever had and now he was going to get to sit back and watch as his own brother took over the one aspect of his life that he had somehow, unknowingly, thought was his and his alone. He'd have to lay awake at night and know that Merle was the one touching her. Merle would be the one she turned too from now on, and why wouldn't she turn to Merle? He wasn't like Daryl. Merle was rough but he wasn't what these people thought he was. He would treat her good. He would treat her better than Daryl had in the past.

"Fuck!" He nearly yelled as he pushed himself away from the glass.

He heard it then. Her soft footsteps coming up the stairs. He turned towards the door, even though he didn't want to see her. Not right now. Maybe not ever. It wasn't the same because there wouldn't be comfort in her presence like before. Every time he would look at her he would think about the things Merle had said to her earlier. Things Daryl was too stupid and too chicken shit to say.

She came through the door and instantly that small smile spread across her lips. The one that was apparently reserved for the Dixon brothers. He had to look away.

"I brought you somethin' to eat before the rest of them could get too it. Rick said you never came in from your hunt. Figured you'd be hungry."

"You figured wrong. Go give it to Merle." He growled as he crossed his arms over his chest and stared at the window once more.

He heard her set the bowl down and he expected her to leave without a word. He was doing it again and he knew it but he couldn't stop. He was sure that she knew how he felt and still she was going to turn her back on him for his brother. "Merle can feed himself." She said quietly.

"So can I. Did you eat?" He asked and flicked his angry gaze at her.

She shook her head and looked at him quizzically. "I figured I would hit the showers while they weren't packed. It isn't an easy thing to do now days."

He scowled. "You and Merle must'a worked up a real sweat out there, huh? Least you was nice enough to wash his stink off of ya before bringin' your ass out here." He knew he had no right to say this shit but he couldn't help it. If he was smart he would try to charm the hell out of her and then she would know that Merle wasn't the Dixon that she needed to be with. Instead he was acting like a kid again. A pissed off little boy that clearly didn't want to share with his big brother.

"I went on a run with him. I didn't sleep with him." She said in a low voice that was simmering with her own quiet anger. "You know me better than that."

"I didn't say anything about sleepin', did I?" he met her eyes and held them. It was then that he noticed that her hair was still wet and all she had on was some flimsy cotton pajama pants and a threadbare tank top with a thin shawl wrapped around her shoulders. His anger instantly turned into concern. "What the hell, Carol. It's fuckin' freezin' out here." he shrugged off his jacket and approached her so he could throw it over her shoulders like he'd done plenty of times before.

Instead of taking it with a thankful look in her eyes she backed away from him. "Go to hell, Daryl." She snapped.

He'd fucked up.

She went for the door and managed to open it just a few inches but with one hand he slammed it shut. When she spun around the hand that he had used to slam the door was pressed against it right next to her head.

Why was this so hard for him? He was always fucking it up.

"Let me out." She said, her usually wide eyes were narrowed in anger.

"You ain't with my brother?" He asked, dangerously aware that she was only an inch away from him, his head lowered, their faces so close that he could feel her breath hit his lips.

"You're brother is an idiot. He's gotten it in his head that you..." She whispered. He saw it then. Tears in her eyes, threatening to spill over. How often had he done this?

She opened her mouth to say something else but that would probably mean that he would say something back and dig himself an even deeper hole than he was already in. so he did something that he never would have done the day before, or even that morning. But he needed her to know and he wasn't any good with words, obviously. So before any words could leave her mouth he caught her lips with his own and kissed her. He was way out of practice but he knew enough to know that he had fucked up once more when he felt her tense. Her mouth completely unresponsive under his own.

Damn it. What had he been thinki...

His eyes snapped open when he felt the tip of her tongue trace his bottom lip, the palm of his other hand slammed into the door on the other side of her head when she caught that lip with her teeth and gave it a gentle tug. He pushed her into the door with his body and kissed her harder than before. In the back of his head he tried to tell himself to be easier with her but when she matched his intensity with a fire of her own he couldn't stop.

Her arms went around his neck, her hands tangled into his overgrown hair. He kept his hands where they were. Pressed flat against the door as he ravaged her mouth like some kind of rabid animal. And that was exactly what he felt like. Everything he had kept pent up inside him came out right then. He'd spent most of the day thinking that any chance he had was shattered and now she was here, warm and solid and pressed flush against him. Her tongue sliding against his sending heat coursing through his veins.

The sound of footsteps coming up the stairs had him pulling away and then backing up, picking his jacket up off the floor and holding it in front of him. Whoever was coming up there definitely didn't need to see any of that. He met her feverish gaze from across the small space. She was breathing hard and her eyes flitted away first for probably the first time he could remember. He wasn't sure what that meant.

The door opened and Carl stuck his head in. "Carol, Beth asked me to find you. They can't find where you put the milk and Judy is having a fit."

"I'll be right there." She said, still a little breathless.

Carl gave her a strange look and then glanced at Daryl before shutting the door.

"I'm gonna go ahead and go." She said quietly. She reached for the doorknob and then glanced over her shoulder, that smile, his smile, in place. "Eat, Daryl."

He nodded and grabbed the bowl she had sat down earlier. By the time he looked back up she was gone. He had a few hours left and he knew he was going to spend them wondering what the hell she was thinking. He could still taste her on his lips and it almost made him not want to eat.

~H~

She stood there in the middle of her cell, one arm wrapped around her waist and the other lifted as she grazed her fingers over her lips. There was a small lantern lit, the flame low causing shadows to dance across the cold concrete walls. There was a blanket hanging over her cell door to keep out any wondering eyes. She had hung it there when the people from Woodbury moved in.

She felt like a teenager. She was all nerves at the moment. Never. Not in a million years, had she expected that. Ever. And she had been okay with it. She had been fine with the knowledge that he wasn't ever going to feel the same way she felt. She was okay with what they had because she was the type of woman that would simply take what she could get. She had never believed he was ever capable of something like that.

When she heard the faint sound of knuckles rapping lightly on the bars to her cell she pulled her fingers away from her lips. "Come in." She whispered loud enough for whoever was on the other side of the bars to knew it wasn't him but her stomach twisted with anticipation all the same.

Merle walked in and took one look at her and grinned. "Bout time." He whispered.

She wanted to flog him and hug him at the same time. She hadn't believed a word he had told her and she wasn't going to do something as stupid as making a move on Daryl Dixon. But he had came through. She knew he had gone up to the tower before she had and she couldn't bare the thought of Daryl thinking that she would actually consider giving Merle a go round. It had felt like... cheating somehow.

"What did you say to him?" She asked, ignoring the burning questions behind his gaze.

He just shrugged. "Remember what I told ya. Go easy on the boy." He smirked and turned to leave.

"Merle."

He glanced over his shoulder.

"Thanks. For being such an ass and making your brother hate me for half the day." She grinned.

He snorted. "All in a days work, woman. I'm like cupid, but better lookin'." he grinned and left the room. Left her alone once more with her thoughts.

She knew she needed to go to sleep. She knew that they always started their days early and she had a million things to do. But would he come to her cell? Did he want more? It had felt like he had wanted a lot more but she couldn't be sure. It very well could have been a heat of the moment thing.

She shook her head and stripped down to nothing. Whatever he decided to do, she was fine with it. If him kissing her had been a one time thing then at least she had that. And if he came to her wanting more then he could have it. Merle was right. Every single one of them could be dead tomorrow. Or just her. She refused to think that anything could take him out, but still. Merle was right and she needed to stop being such a chicken. She wouldn't seek him out but if he came to her, then she would embrace every bit of him that she could before he bolted out of her cell door, which was a very real possibility when it came to the elusive Daryl Dixon.

She reached up and turned off the lantern that sat on the edge of the sink in her cell and snuggled down as far as she could into her blankets.

~H~

He stood outside her cell like some kind of crazy stalker guy. He had no idea what to do. He had kissed her. She had kissed him back. She had denied being with his brother. And yet he was still just standing there like he had been doing for probably thirty minutes now.

He needed to at least talk to her. He fucking hated talking. Every damn thing he said seemed to always come out wrong. He was much better at simply doing. The only problem was, when it came to shit like this, he didn't know how to do it. But he had too. Merle had done a real number on him today and now he had it in his head that if he didn't do something soon, someone else would and he would lose his chance. The bastard was right. Tomorrow he could be dead. They all could. And he had spent what little time he had chewing his fucking nails and clamming up like a total bitch.

He took a deep breath and then slipped into her cell. With the blanket hanging over the bars it was pitch black but that didn't matter. He'd been in her cell a million times and he knew where everything was. He could hear her even breathing and was pretty sure she was asleep, until she moved.

"Daryl?" She whispered causing him to freeze.

Now he wanted to kick his own ass for coming here. What the hell was he suppose to say?

"I know there's someone there. I sleep with a knife so if you want to keep breathing you better turn around and walk out now." She said in a hard voice.

He laughed. He didn't laugh often but this had him laughing. He could picture her face in his mind and the words that she had just said didn't go with that picture at all.

"Damn it, Daryl. I thought you were one of those Woodbury men." She hissed.

He heard her head hit the pillow and he was impressed. He hadn't even heard her sit up and usually he heard everything. "Sorry." He muttered before he took a deep breath and sat down on the edge of her bunk.

"You're freezing. I can feel the cold coming off of you from here. You need something warmer for when you have the night shift."

He started chewing at the rough skin around his thumbnail.

"Maybe you can make yourself a squirrel skin coat or something." She whispered. He could hear the smile in her voice.

He shook his head and continued to chew at his skin. He would have himself bleeding if he didn't cut that shit out. The silence stretched on and every second made him feel more and more like an idiot or coming here.

"Daryl?" She asked in a soft voice.

"Hmm?"

"I know it isn't very romantic, but do you wanna screw around anyway?" She giggled quietly as he shook his head.

Fuck it.

He could tell where her head lay from her voice so he reached out until his rough hand was cupping the softness of her cheek. He moved his hand around until it was pressed against the back of her neck. He pulled her up until she was sitting up and all he had to do was turn his body. He had good aim. His lips met hers on his first try in the pitch black room. It was easier this time, since he already knew she was willing to at least kiss him. Before he hadn't been too sure.

He kissed her deeper than he had in the tower. Slower. He was feeling pretty confident until his hand moved from her neck to her shoulder. There wasn't anything there. Surely she wasn't...

Her breathed hitched when his hand grazed her collar bone.

He wasn't sure what he had expected when he found himself outside her cell. He knew she would talk to him. He was hoping she would let him kiss her again. He sure as hell wasn't expecting to find her topless. He dropped his hand a few more inches and he could feel her skin break out in goosebumps. He'd forgotten that his hands were probably like ice so he pulled it away. And then just like that she grabbed his hand and placed it right over her breast, between the roughness of his palm and the coldness of his skin her body instantly reacted to the touch. He felt a growl rumble low in his chest and he had to force himself to not be rough.

He kicked his boots off before he even realized what he was doing. He felt her hands pushing at the jacket so he shrugged out of it. This was much better than talking about what had happened in the tower. Her fingers were quickly working the buttons on his shirt and then the cold air was hitting his bare skin making her hands feel like fire as she traced the contours of his chest.

Fuck, why the hell had he waited so long to kiss her? She pulled her mouth away, leaving his head spinning until her hand snaked around his neck and she pulled him down with her. The mattress creaked a little under the weight of both of them when he moved so he was now hovering over her. He wasn't as stupid as Merle thought he was. He'd been with women before. Not anyone he gave a shit about, but he knew a little more than just the basics.

He settled himself between her legs and he could tell that she wasn't just topless. For as cold as the whole prison was, she was putting off some impressive heat. His hands roamed freely now, knowing that this was what she wanted from him. He was more than willing, now anyway, to give it to her.

He did stop her though when her fingers went to the button on his pants. He moved her hands so they were above her head and he moved his mouth down to the base of her throat, causing her squirm under him, bringing her hips up enticingly.

He left a wet trail down to the breast he had abandoned not a minute before, causing her to let out a low moan. He brought his hand up to cover her mouth as his lips worked greedily but she surprised him by catching two of his fingers with her lips and then angling her head until the tips of those two captured fingers actually brushed against the back of her throat, causing him to stop what he was doing and lift his head, eyes wide in the dark. He withdrew his fingers and then hesitantly moved them back into her mouth, she made a sound like a hum causing her throat to vibrate around those fingers, and he growled in response and pulled his fingers away once more.

She was breathing hard now and he didn't even realize that he was grinding against her. He stopped, hoping he could prolong this a little longer. He knew if she got near him with that crazy fucking mouth of hers it would be over. Who knew that quiet little Carol had such a hidden talent? That was a secret he'd take to the grave. The last thing he needed was for all those bastards out there to know she had tricks.

Fuck. He needed to stop thinking about that.

Instead he tried to focus on her. He moved his body over a little so he would have more room. He trailed his hand down her side, across her stomach and then used the finger that was still wet from her mouth to explore other things. He cut off any sounds when he kissed her. She squirmed and whimpered until his finger slipped inside her while he added pressure with the heel of his hand.

From what he could tell it must have been a really really long time since she had been with a man. Either that or Ed was seriously lacking because it didn't feel like she'd ever even been with a man at all. And that was it. He was kicking and struggling out of his pants faster than she could even register what he was doing.

He kept telling himself to be careful. To not ruin it by acting like some kind of unfeeling animal. He said it over and over again like a mantra. But she was doing nothing at all to make it any easier on him. She was moving under him, pressing herself against him until he was clenching his teeth.

"Daryl...?"

His name on her lips sent his control crashing down around him and he covered her mouth with one large hand as he plunged into her roughly, cursing himself when he felt her tense and a low gutteral sound slipped past the hand over her mouth. He stopped and then moved his hand away from her mouth.

"Should I stop?" He breathed into her neck. She was gripping him almost painfully and he was afraid to even pull away for fear of hurting her.

"No." She whispered and then to prove her point she rocked under him slowly, like she was getting herself used to the feel of him.

He mocked her movements, slow and deliberate, almost thankful that she was slow to adjust to him. The thought of hurting her made him able to keep himself in control of what he was doing, which meant that this could maybe go on for more than the thirty seconds it would take him to completely blow it, literally, if he was able to go any faster.

He kissed her, feeling guilty about the way this had began but he found it difficult to put much thought into that, or anything else that didn't involve her and him and now. Her legs unwound from his waist and she started pushing on his chest, for one terrifying moment he thought that she wanted him to stop and, although he would have, it would have really sucked.

"Roll over." She urged instead.

Hell yeah. He could do that.

After quite a bit of struggle they managed eventually, without breaking stride, except once she had him where she wanted him, her stride changed drastically. This wasn't good. Not for her. If she didn't slow down then he was definitely going to...

Her lips crushed his right before he felt her tighten around him even more. Her body trembling and strangled sounds dying in her throat as she struggled to keep herself quiet. He thought that that was it until she tore her mouth away from his and gasped. All he felt was the heat of her as her muscles throbbed around him like a strange deep pulse, sending shock waves through him that had his toes curling as he dug his fingers into her hips when he finally let himself go. The breath exploded from his lungs at the intensity of it and still she kept that steady pace as she road out that mind numbing climax. He didn't know that it could even last that long for a woman, but it did, until she collapsed onto his chest in a panting heap, forehead pressed into his sternum while she tried to catch her breath.

He ran his hands up her back lazily, vaguely aware that there was definitely more noise there towards the end than he wanted to admit. The whole fucking prison would know what went on. And he couldn't really hope that they would all assume it was someone else since it was obviously her voice and at the end she had choked out his name quite loudly.

She rolled off of him onto her side, running her fingers lightly over his chest until he grabbed her hand and laughed quietly. He felt her raise her head. "What are you laughing at?" She asked.

"My asshole brother." he whispered.

"Merle isn't so bad. He means well." She said quietly, sleep lacing her voice.

He pulled the blanket up over the both of them after he pulled his pants back on. He knew how many people just barged into her cell all the time. No way was he going to risk them coming in and getting an eye full of his naked ass.

He didn't have any plans on going anywhere though. He wasn't a stupid man, regardless of what some people thought. He'd be a man about this and blush through the looks and the taunts he knew would come as soon as they emerged from the room. But there was no way he was going anywhere. Everyone there needed to know who the hell she was with. It was time for him to start acting like a man instead of a scared little boy.

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